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Events · head to head

Activity Messenger vs Ticketmaster

Activity Messenger logo

Activity Messenger

Events

Registrations, payments and communications for sports and leisure

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Ticketmaster logo

Ticketmaster

Events

The global leader in live event ticketing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Activity Messenger entry pricing is 99 dollars a month, and online registration itself only appears on the 149 dollar Premium tier, so the cheapest plan is a communications tool rather than a registration one.; Ticketmaster high fees of 10-30% per ticket with some events reaching 40%, higher than competing platforms
  • They diverge on capability: Activity Messenger covers Online registration, Ticketmaster covers Ticket sales.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Activity Messenger and Ticketmaster actually diverge.

Attributes where Activity Messenger and Ticketmaster differ
AttributeActivity MessengerTicketmaster
Starting price$99/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptiontransaction
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20191978

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Events).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Activity Messenger

  • Online registration
  • Digital waivers
  • Email and SMS automation
  • Memberships and ticketing
  • Staff management
  • Attendance tracking
  • Bulk certificates

Only in Ticketmaster

  • Ticket sales
  • Mobile ticketing
  • Verified tickets
  • Resale marketplace
  • Venue management
  • Spotify
  • Apple Music
  • Facebook

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Activity Messenger

  • Running seasonal camp and class registrationsnot Ticketmaster
  • Collecting signed liability waivers digitallynot Ticketmaster
  • Managing memberships and recurring programmesnot Ticketmaster
  • Onboarding and timesheeting seasonal instructorsnot Ticketmaster
  • Email and SMS campaigns to a registrant listnot Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster

  • Event planningnot Activity Messenger
  • Ticket salesnot Activity Messenger
  • Attendee managementnot Activity Messenger
  • Virtual eventsnot Activity Messenger
  • Event marketingnot Activity Messenger

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Activity Messenger

  • Entry pricing is 99 dollars a month, and online registration itself only appears on the 149 dollar Premium tier, so the cheapest plan is a communications tool rather than a registration one.
  • Payment processing costs 2.9 percent plus 30 cents on cards with a 1 percent service fee on all methods, which is charged on top of the subscription.
  • Tiers are gated on email subscriber counts, so an organisation with a large mailing list and few registrations pays for the list.
  • Staff scheduling is listed as coming soon on the Pro tier rather than available.
  • The customer base and case studies are concentrated in North America, so a European organisation should check tax and payment handling before committing.

Ticketmaster

  • High fees of 10-30% per ticket with some events reaching 40%, higher than competing platforms
  • Delayed real-time data on seat availability and resale pricing
  • Strict API rate limits and limited customization for partner integrations
  • Found guilty of operating an illegal monopoly in live concert ticketing by federal jury in April 2026
  • Anticompetitive practices that limit competition for event organizers

Pricing, plan by plan

Activity Messenger

$99/month
  • Light$99/month
    • Email marketing with Canva integration
    • Digital waivers and signatures
    • Surveys and forms
  • Premium$149/month
    • Online registration and camps and activities management
    • Staff management
    • Memberships and automations
  • Pro$229/month
    • Private lessons and bookings
    • Unlimited users
    • Fully white label
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited data storage
    • Fundraising for athletes

Ticketmaster

On request
  • StandardFree
    • Global distribution
    • Mobile ticketing
    • Fan verification

Which should you pick?

Choose Activity Messenger if

  • You need online registration.
  • You also want digital waivers.
Activity Messenger review

Choose Ticketmaster if

  • You need ticket sales.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile ticketing.
Ticketmaster review

Questions people ask

Is Activity Messenger or Ticketmaster better?
Neither clearly leads. Activity Messenger starts at $99/month and Ticketmaster at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Activity Messenger or Ticketmaster?
Activity Messenger starts at $99/month and Ticketmaster at On request.
Does Activity Messenger or Ticketmaster run on more platforms?
Activity Messenger runs on Web. Ticketmaster runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Activity Messenger best used for?
Activity Messenger is most often used for running seasonal camp and class registrations, collecting signed liability waivers digitally, managing memberships and recurring programmes, onboarding and timesheeting seasonal instructors. Of those, running seasonal camp and class registrations and collecting signed liability waivers digitally are not what Ticketmaster is typically brought in for.
What can Activity Messenger do that Ticketmaster cannot?
Activity Messenger covers Online registration, Digital waivers, Email and SMS automation, Memberships and ticketing. Ticketmaster covers Ticket sales, Mobile ticketing, Verified tickets, Resale marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Activity Messenger: What does Activity Messenger cost?

Light is $99 a month, Premium $149, Pro $229, and Enterprise is custom priced. A $10 pause plan is available for seasonal businesses for up to six months.

Source
Ticketmaster: How much does Ticketmaster charge in fees?

Ticketmaster typically charges a service fee of 10-30% of the ticket price (sometimes reaching 40% for high-demand events), plus facility fees and order processing fees. Combined fees often result in buyers paying approximately 27% on top of face value.

Source
Activity Messenger: Are there transaction fees on top?

Yes. Credit card payments are 2.9 percent plus $0.30 per transaction, Interac and bank transfers are 1 percent plus $0.40, and a 1 percent service fee applies across all payment methods.

Source
Ticketmaster: Who sets ticket prices on Ticketmaster?

Event organizers set the base face value of tickets based on production costs, venue size, and event interest. However, service fees and facility fees are generally negotiated and shared between various parties including Ticketmaster and venues.

Source
Activity Messenger: Which tier includes online registration?

Premium at $149 a month. The $99 Light tier covers email marketing, digital waivers, surveys and forms, but registration, camps and activities management, memberships and ticketing start at Premium.

Source
Ticketmaster: Does Ticketmaster have an API?

Yes, Ticketmaster provides a Partner API and 3rd Party Integration API for developers. However, the API has strict rate limits, poor resale control, and delays in real-time seat-level and resale data updates.

Source
Activity Messenger: Who is it built for?

Sports and leisure organisations: classes and camps, schools, federations, dance studios, gymnastics clubs, swim schools, soccer academies, tennis clubs, parks and recreation departments and sports associations.

Source
Ticketmaster: What is Ticketmaster's current legal status?

In April 2026, a federal jury found that Live Nation and subsidiary Ticketmaster operated an illegal monopoly in live concert and ticketing markets. In March 2026, they settled with the DOJ agreeing to cap service fees at 15% at certain venues and divest control of 13 amphitheaters.

Source
Activity Messenger: Who built it?

Founded in Montreal in 2019 by Martin Drapeau, Olivier Rousseau and Michael Shpigelman. Drapeau was previously CTO of Amilia, where he spent six years growing the company from 15 to 110 people.

Source
Activity Messenger: What does it integrate with?

Stripe for payments, Zoom for online sessions on the Premium tier and above, and Canva for email design.

Source
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